From gaining weight to cutting her hair: How classical dancer Raniya embraced role of ‘Chinju Rani’

Actor and classical dancer Raniya Raanaa has won widespread appreciation for her portrayal of Chinju Rani in the recent Dileep-starrer Prince and Family. Following its successful theatrical run, the film is now gaining further traction on OTT platforms, with Raniya’s heartfelt performance emerging as one of its standout elements.

A newcomer to cinema but already an accomplished dancer, Raniya undertook a stunning physical and emotional transformation to bring the character of Chinju Rani to life—a journey she now candidly reflects upon.

“Here I’m going to share some pictures of the transformation I did for the character Chinju Rani,” the actor wrote in a social media post that has since gone viral.

According to Raniya, she underwent a significant body transformation, gaining weight as per the director and writer’s vision for the role.

“I gained from 54 kg to 62 kg to achieve the proper chubbiness for Chinju, as envisioned by the writer and director,” she revealed.

As a trained classical dancer, Raniya is no stranger to rigorous physical discipline, often working out between two to five hours daily. However, once she received confirmation for the role in the last week of March 2024, she made a radical shift.

“I completely stopped physical workouts until the final schedule wrapped in November 2024,” she said, underscoring her commitment to embodying the character as authentically as possible.

Beyond weight gain, the transformation also extended to her facial features. Raniya recounted a moment with the writer, Sharis Mohammed, who insisted that the naturally sharp features she had cultivated over years of disciplined training needed to be softened.

“He told me: ‘I don’t want Chinju to have the sharp facial features that Raniya holds. I want her to be chubby and bubbly.’”

This was no small ask for Raniya, who took it in good humour.

“Chetta, usually people spend money to get proper alignment, but now I’m breaking all my diets and workouts for Chinju’s figure,” she joked, adding with a laugh: “The funny part — he wanted even my long eyelashes trimmed because in certain shots, they were covering my eyes and blocking the camera view. He kept saying, ‘If I get a chance, I’ll cut them too!’”

One of the most emotional aspects of the transformation, she confessed, was parting with her long, waist-length hair—a defining feature of her classical dancer identity.

“One of the hardest parts was cutting my long, classic-length hair to short-length for the character. I was on the edge of tears when I found out. But I surrendered to the process,” she admitted.

Despite the challenges, Raniya expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to play Chinju Rani—a character she now credits with transforming her not just physically, but emotionally and philosophically.

“I’m happy that people accepted and loved me in my chubby version. I feel proud to give my physical form and energy to bring Chinju Rani to life. This character broke so many of my limiting beliefs about perfection,” she wrote.

The journey of Chinju Rani, Raniya adds, helped her embrace a more compassionate relationship with her body.

“Even now, my body is happily carrying Chinju’s body weight. She made me realise that it’s okay to live with chubbiness—and that striving for perfection can sometimes be stressful.”

In a poetic reflection on the experience, she concluded:

“She made me feel like a butterfly—finding perfection in imperfection, with a deep sense of happiness. Today, the perfectionist Raniya is happily carrying Chinju Rani’s chubby physical form—and loving every part of the journey.”

As Prince and Family continues to win viewers across platforms, it’s clear that Raniya Raanaa’s heartfelt dedication to her role has left an indelible mark—not just on the film, but on the hearts of audiences and admirers alike.